Ling Dynasty, Shengjing, Guardian Marshal Manor.
The young lady sat before the gleaming bronze mirror, raising a hand to touch her own cheek before letting out a long sigh.
After her afternoon nap, Leng Yaoda gazed at this unfamiliar yet stunningly beautiful face that was now “her own,” secretly amused by how peacefully she had just slept.
Only now did she realize how remarkably composed her own mindset could be.
Having endured a day of panic yesterday and a whole night of contemplation, she was now certain she wasn’t dreaming.
She, Leng Yaoda, had transmigrated into a book.
This was a rather peculiar book, featuring two male protagonists who journeyed together. They were described as a couple yet didn’t quite seem like one, but in the end, the author forcibly paired them together.
In short, the author didn’t know how to write BL but insisted on doing so for the sake of making money.
Back when she first read it, she had constantly complained, and even now, she still felt like complaining.
If you were going to give me a second chance at life after dying in the modern era, that should have been a good thing—so why did you have to start me off in this world with a death sentence?
In this book, to make the plot more entertaining, many interesting cannon fodder characters were arranged to help drive the story forward.
And the great beauty Leng Yaoda, who shared the same name as her and was now herself, was a super cannon fodder who died extremely quickly.
The reason she died so swiftly was that in the book, she became entangled with one of the male protagonists, obstructing their love-hate relationship. Especially after learning a certain shocking secret, she was silenced by her future “husband.”
Looking at the face in the mirror, so beautiful it even astonished herself, Leng Yaoda clicked her tongue twice.
What a terrible waste. She was certain that if the author could see a character of such grace and charm from their own pen, they would have classified her as a first-class protected character, never allowing her to exit the story at lightning speed.
Just then, the two maids, Yingzhu and Baoyu, entered. Both were dressed in the green attire of first-class maids, their faces proper and delicate.
Baoyu walked up to Leng Yaoda and whispered, “Miss, the Prime Minister’s Wife has brought the two young masters of the Lu family. Madam is now requesting your presence.”
Yingzhu also stepped forward to redo her hair into a bun. Hearing Baoyu’s words, Leng Yaoda stiffened slightly, her hand clutching the embroidered handkerchief tightening unconsciously.
The Lu family of the Chancellor’s Mansion stood adjacent to the Leng family’s Guardian Marshal Manor, so Leng Yaoda and the two young masters of the Lu family mentioned by Baoyu could be considered childhood friends who grew up together, innocent and without suspicion.
But the strange thing was, in the original story, the cannon fodder supporting female character Leng Yaoda died at the hands of one of them.
This person was none other than Lu Zhiyou, one of the male protagonists and her future husband-to-be.
Thinking of the original body’s fate in the book—not even surviving half the chapters—and now opening her eyes to such a disastrous start, Leng Yaoda’s heart couldn’t help but pound wildly. She pressed her lips together, neither speaking nor moving.
“Miss?” Yingzhu, being observant, noticed her distraction and gently reminded her.
Snapping back to reality, the young lady steadied her emotions, took another glance in the bronze mirror, and stood up. “Let’s go, then.”
Yingzhu and Baoyu followed closely behind Leng Yaoda, one on each side. The three of them wound through the central courtyard garden, the long covered walkway shielding them from the increasingly strong afternoon sun.
After quite a while, Leng Yaoda slowly approached the main hall of the front courtyard. Before even entering, she could hear the cheerful conversation of the two ladies from the doorway.
“I’ve been looking forward to this since Daji was born sixteen years ago! Our Chancellor’s Mansion has always lacked a delicate young lady. Now that His Majesty has personally issued an edict for a bestowed marriage, it has, by a twist of fate, fulfilled my wish!”
The voice of the Prime Minister’s Wife carried from afar, brimming with joy. In the original body’s memories, she truly did adore Leng Yaoda.”Enough, enough. You’re happy to take a daughter from me, but have you considered my feelings?”
Hearing the voice of her “mother,” Leng Yaoda paused her steps briefly before quickening her pace to enter.
“Greetings, Mother. Greetings, Aunt Lu. Daji has kept you both waiting.”
Leng Yaoda walked in respectfully, bowing to the two seated in the upper seats by the entrance before rising with a smile.
As a radiant young girl entered, four pairs of eyes turned toward her, and the two ladies in the upper seats instantly beamed with joy.
The Prime Minister’s Wife even stood up and approached, gently supporting Leng Yaoda as she looked at her with growing fondness.
She turned back to the other three and laughed, “Look at our Daji—she’s blossoming more beautifully than ever! I heard that Yueji from the Secretariat Director’s family is also about to marry, just a month after you.”
Leng Yaoda feigned shyness, lowering her head slightly as she graciously accepted the praise.
Soon, a male voice emerged, gentle and clear in the spring air of April, soothing to the heart.
“Yaoyao is indeed the most outstanding.”
The voice was truly pleasant; even though Leng Yaoda wasn’t particularly drawn to voices, she couldn’t help but want to look up and see its source.
So, the young girl pretended to glance casually toward the direction of the voice.
Bathed in the sunlight streaming in from outside, the faint light fell upon a tall, slender figure. The girl blinked and took in his appearance.
The two young men looked somewhat similar, though one was more gentle and refined like jade, while the other carried a scholarly air. Both were as handsome as beautiful women, with delicate and striking features.
Indeed, they were just as handsome as she remembered, and even more impressive in person.
Leng Yaoda’s smile grew more bashful. After sitting down, she picked up a teacup and took a sip, softly thanking Lu Zhiyou for his praise.
The Prime Minister’s Wife and Leng Yaoda’s mother exchanged a knowing smile, steering the conversation toward the two of them.
The other scholarly young man who had accompanied them watched the scene with a smile, though his eyes repeatedly and subtly drifted toward the girl.
Feeling Lu Shixiu’s gaze, Leng Yaoda sighed inwardly, thinking it was nothing but a misplaced affection.
According to the book, this younger brother of her future husband, her brother-in-law Lu Shixiu, had always harbored feelings for the original owner.
In the end, when Leng Yaoda met a tragic death, Lu Shixiu single-handedly uncovered the truth behind it, even going so far as to contemplate fratricide for her sake!
As she pondered this, Lu Zhiyou suddenly looked over, his beautiful peach-blossom eyes glimmering with a hint of amusement.
He addressed Leng Yaoda, “It seems Yaoyao is a bit tired today, not as lively and spirited as before.”
Hearing this, Leng Yaoda remained silent, thinking to herself that since she would soon be killed by him, it was only natural she wasn’t as lively around him as before.
The young girl replied softly, “It’s nothing. I just overslept during my afternoon nap, and too much rest made me uncomfortable instead. Thank you for your concern, Brother Zhiyou.”
Lu Zhiyou smiled with a touch of indulgence. “So that’s what happened.”
The Prime Minister’s Wife, delighted by their exchange, couldn’t help but say, “Since Daji seems restless, why don’t you take your two brothers to stroll in the backyard? I heard the twin lotus flowers in your estate are about to bloom. You go ahead, and your mother and I will join you later.”
Leng Yaoda stood up and obediently agreed, leading Lu Zhiyou and Lu Shixiu out of the room toward the lotus pond.
She had read plenty of transmigration stories before, and being in a book was somewhat better than those. Even though she had become an early-death cannon fodder, at least she had the advantage of omniscience.Lost in thought once more, Lu Zhiyou’s gaze drifted to the girl beside him, settling on her exceptionally beautiful and striking face as he raised an eyebrow slightly.
Lu Shixiu followed behind the two, his eyes lingering on Leng Yaoda’s slender back before he lowered them despondently.
In the quiet atmosphere, Lu Zhiyou suddenly spoke up, “Yaoyao, you do seem quite different from usual today. Is something on your mind?”
The girl’s heart skipped a beat instinctively.